I’ve always admired Gardener’s World presenter Monty Don for talking about his bouts of depression, and how gardening has helped him to cope.

Mental health issues are estimated to affect a quarter of us at one time or another (I suspect this is vastly underreported), but services to help people are not always available.

Studies suggest that 30 minutes of gardening can have a positive effect on mental health and it has been argued that if ‘horticultural therapy’ was actually prescribed by GPs for mental health issues, substantial savings could be made to the NHS and therefore the economy.

Sometimes, it can be difficult to move or do anything with depression, let alone plan an agenda of creating a garden.

A cheery geranium on a windowsill - gardening without a garden.

The best advice is take that vital step of stepping outside with no plan or agenda and start to potter on – don’t think about it, just focus on the simple task you’re doing.

The combined benefits of exercise, fresh air and fixing your attention on something other than your problems can lighten the load and lead to a good, healing proper night’s sleep.

Seedsman Thompson & Morgan is encouraging people to try gardening in a bid to improve their mental health.

Thin out direct sowings of hardy annuals and vegetables, in two or three stages at fortnightly intervals.

Remove faded wallflowers and spring bedding, to make space for summer plantings.

Divide clumps of herbaceous perennials. Bamboos and clumps of bulbs or rhizomes can be divided in the same way.

Cutting back clumps of spring-flowering perennials such as Pulmonaria and Doronicum can encourage a fresh flush of foliage.

Lift and divide overcrowded clumps of daffodils after flowering. Deadhead tulips and daffodils. Apply a liquid fertiliser to bulbs after they have flowered, to encourage a good show next year. Allow foliage to die down naturally.